Graduation surprise
by ricaruns
Summary: When Dave Rossi attends his step-daughter's graduation, he gets a surprise he never expected!


Author's note: This is a companion piece to 'Unknown Past', but this piece can also be read without reading the first story. Once again Strauss and Rossi are married and have custody of Strauss' children from her first marriage. The graduation ceremony is based off my graduation ceremony and I have no idea regarding the laws for changing your name in Virginia, but once again this is fiction.

Dave Rossi sat on the football field of Quinlyn Prep waiting for Jessica's graduation ceremony to start. Dave watched as the families filed in, and started to profile the families; he couldn't help but to profile his surroundings. Erin knew what Dave was up to, and gave him a look that clearly said_ stop profiling the families of your daughter's classmates_. Dave decided he would look at the graduation program as to not be on the receiving end of his wife's ire. Dave began to scan the program looking at the names that were given to the graduates-some of the names were perfectly acceptable and others were rather unfortunate names. He looked through the names to find Jessica Strauss, but he couldn't find his step-daughter's name. He doubled checked the list of names and he still couldn't find Jessica's name. He was starting to get concerned that the school forgot to add his step-daughter to the list of graduates. Dave decided he would speak to Erin before he lost his top in front all of Jessica's classmates and their families.

"Erin, why isn't Jessica listed in the program?"

"What do you mean she isn't listed?"

"I've checked three times, I can't find her name."

"Are you sure you looking in the right section?"

"The right section, what do you mean right section? I'm looking in the 'S's. Where else would her name be?"

"I don't know, perhaps check the section before 'S'"

"The section before 'S'?! Erin, what is going on?"  
"I promise you will find out once you check the program closely."

Dave suspected that Erin and possibly Jessica were up to something, but it couldn't be that bad, right? I mean this was graduation, it was a serious occasion and Jessica wouldn't make light of something like this. So for the fourth time, Dave checked the program and he finally spotted Jessica's name, but it wasn't the name he suspected that his step-daughter would be listed under. Instead of being listed as Jessica Lauren Strauss, she was listed as Jessica Lauren Strauss Rossi. Jessica Lauren Strauss Rossi, he had to re-read it to make sure he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. He shook his head and the page still said Jessica Lauren Strauss Rossi. Dave felt like he was going to cry; his step-daughter took his name. He was just honored to be at Jessica's graduation because there was a long period in his life where he thought he would never watch his child graduate from high school. It didn't matter that Jessica, Chris and Megan didn't share his DNA, they were his children, he loved them and he was very proud of them.

Once it sunk in, that Jessica was legally Jessica Rossi, he turned to Erin with tears in his eyes, and said "Jessica took my last name? But when and why?"

"Jessica loves you, she views you as her father, and she wanted to honor that by taking your last name. She changed her name just after her 18th birthday in February. She came to me in November saying she wanted to change her last name to Rossi, and thought it would make a wonderful Christmas present for you. But she realized that it would take a long time for the paperwork to be processed and it would also require both of our signatures since you are her legal guardian, plus it would ruin the surprise for you. So after she turned 18, I took her to the county courthouse to file the paperwork. Once the name change was approved, she changed her driver's license and brought the paperwork to the office at school so that her name could be listed as Jessica Lauren Strauss Rossi on her diploma and final transcript."

"I had no idea. I'm so unbelievably touched. But why is her second middle name Strauss, she could have just hyphenated her last name to Strauss-Rossi."

"She said she wanted to keep Strauss as a nod to me, but she also wanted to try and erase any connection to her father since he has proven to be an awful husband and awful father."

"I'll be honest Erin, I dislike your ex-husband for numerous reasons, but that doesn't mean that Jessica needs to totally erase him from her life, he is her father."

"I know, but she wanted a clean break and wanted to move forward."

"I can't argue with that. She is my daughter though, what better way to announce a name change than in such a Rossi dramatic fashion."

"That is she is, that she is, Dave." Erin gave Dave a quick kiss before settling down to watch the processional.

Dave sat and watched the graduation ceremony; he was anticipating hearing Jessica's name announced for the first time. Jessica's name was next after Daniel Rose.

Mr. Young, one of Jessica's favorite teachers and one of the emcees for the ceremony, announced "Jessica Lauren Strauss Rossi" and Rossi's heart swelled hearing Jessica's name announced to everyone sitting on that football field and in the bleachers; everyone knew that Jessica was his daughter. Erin looked over at her husband, who had such joy on his face. The last time he looked so happy was when Erin walked down the aisle at the start of their wedding. Erin couldn't help but squeeze his hand in love and support.

The rest of the Strauss-Rossi family waited for the last names to be announced and for the school orchestra to play the recessional, before walking to the end of the football field to wait for Jessica.

Jessica went to greet her family and asked her step-father "Did you like my surprise?"

"Liked it? I loved it. Thank you so much Jessica, it meant a lot to me. Wait, did everyone know about this but me?"

"Yes."

"You clever, clever children. Thank you. I never thought I would ever see Rossi listed in a graduation program."

Erin said "Let's take some pictures before your father becomes a full-fledged emotional Italian."

"Erin!"

"What? Come on, it's not like its everyday that your oldest child graduates from high school."

"Did someone say pictures?"

"Penny, you came?"

"Of course I did. Do you think I would miss your graduation? You're family. I'm not the only one here."

Jessica watched as her step-father's entire team came towards them including Alex Blake, Jack and Henry.

"All of you guys came to watch me graduate?"

Morgan said "Of course, we did mini Rossi, as baby girl said, you're family."

Dave wasn't the only emotional Rossi that day, Jessica said "Thank you so much for coming. It means a lot to me and to my parents."

"Picture time! How about I take a picture of all of the kids?"

"Thanks, Penny."

Garcia proceeded to take various pictures of the team with Jessica, Jessica and her siblings, Jessica and her parents and Jessica with her friends. "Alright, pizza, beer and soda at our house."

"See you there, Rossi."

Dave wrapped his arm around Erin's waist and said "Come on children, we need to beat the team home, so we can let out Mudgie."

"Coming Dad."

It warmed Dave's heart every time he heard Megan, Chris or Jessica call him 'Dad' and he didn't think he would ever get over that feeling.

As the sun began to set on the football field of Quinlyn Prep, Dave Rossi reflected that today was on the most meaningful days he had ever experienced in his 57 years of life, and he couldn't wait to see what the years brought with Erin, Jessica, Chris and Megan.


End file.
